Alternator mechanism



Dec. 31, 1940. K c, ZEH 2,227,169

ALTERNATOR MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1939 Fgql. v 55 Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 ALTERNATOB HECHANISM Kenneth C. Zeh. Chicago, lll., aligner to Baymond T. Moloney, Chicago, lll.

Application my s, 193s, serial No. :71,568

4Claims.

The invention relates to an alternator mecha.- being provided which includes means to govern msm.

In certain apparatus such as in some types of games for amusement, there are two check or re- 6 ward dispensing receptacles. Itis desirable that for every predetermined number, say one thousand plays of the game, that a reward check be automatically deposited from a storage magazine into one of the dispensing receptacles. Also, it

l is desirable thereafter when another number of plays such as another thousand, have been made, that a check be dropped from the storage magazine into the other of the two receptacles. In such fashion, alternately, then, it is desirable to cause checks or the like to be fed into these receptacles to load same.

'Ihe primary object of the invention therefore is to provide an alternator mechanism, serving alternately to control means operative for any purpose such for example as to cause feeding of checks or the like to a pair of receptacles.

Another object is to provide an electromechanical alternator mechanism.

Still another object is to provide an electrical system embodying a pair of electromagnetic devices in separate circuits with respective control switches therein operable by a mechanical means to determine the time of closing of the switches and consequent operation of the electromagnetic 80 devices.

Still another object is to provide a novel switch control member for use in the alternator mechanism.

Other important objects will become apparent 85 to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

Briefly, these desirable objects may be achieved in one practicable form in the provision of a unit including a support carrying a ratchet wheel operating reduction gears, the last gear of which carries a pin, which in a certain point in its turning movement engages and closes a normally open blade contact switch disposed in an electric circuit. The ratchet wheel which is stepped up by 5 any suitable mechanical means, also carries a pin operable in a certain angular position to close another normally open blade contact switch in the circuit. When these two switches are closed at the same time a. circuit is completed through a Adouble contact alternator blade switch to cause energization of an electromagnetic device, which thereupon operates for the desired purpose. The nal gear has its pin positioned in a certain angular position of the said gear to turn through ninety degrees, a novel form of control member opening and closing of said alternator switch. In one position of the latter one electromagnetic device is energized and in another position the other electromagnetic device is energized. In the present disclosure the movable parts of the unit are so proportioned and timed that for one thousand steps of rotation of the ratchet wheel one electromagnetic device is energized and when two thousand steps of the ratchet wheel are made the 10 other electromagnetic device is energized. Thus on every thousand step ups of the ratchet wheel one or the other of the electromagnets is energized in alternation.

In the sheet of drawing illustrating a practica- 15 ble embodiment of the invention: i

Figure 1 is a general plan view of the improved alternator mechanism. including a typical wiring diagram; and,

Figure 2 is a front elevational, or end view oi 20 the structure shown in Figure 1.

The structure includes a support I0 in the form of a plate which carries a shaft I I journaling for rotation, a ratchet wheel I2, said wheel having the desired number of usual teeth on its periphery 25 and carrying on a face a perpendicular pin 23 near the peripheral edge of the wheel, as shown. The support pivotally carries a dog Il urged by a spring I5 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel to prevent retrograde movement of $0 the latter. Pivotally connected about the axis of the shaft I I is a lever I6 pivotally carrying a spring pressed pawl I'I positioned to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel. A pull spring I8 yconnected between the support and lever arm I6 normally 35 holds the latter back to the position shown in Figure 1 with the pawl I1 in disengaged position with respect to the ratchet wheel, as will be obvious. A movable member 20 is indicated as the meansto abut and move the lever arm I6 to cause 40; step ups of the ratchet wheel. This member 20 in practice could be the usual coin released slide usable in a game to coin release the same for play, said member 2l being carried in a game cabinet for manual sliding movement in a push-pull 45 manner.

Ihe support III carries an insulated block 2l for mounting a spring blade contact switch 22 one blade of which is bent as at I3 to be in a position Where it can be engaged by the pin 23 on the 50 ratchet wheel I2. In this manner the switch 22, which is normally open, can be held closed once for each revolution of the wheel I2. The support Il carries another insulated block 24 for mounting a second spring blade contact switch 25, there beingassociated withthisnormallyopenswi an insulated abutment blade which, as will later appear, acts to close the said switch 2l.

At another location on the support Il is carried still another insulated block 21 which serves to carry, two spring blade contact switches 23 and 2l having a common center blade 3l, which has an extended bent end 3| curved in an arc for a purpose later to appear.

'Ihese switches described are disposed in an electric circuit including a main plus lead 32 from the source of electrical energy to one side ofthe switch 25. From the other side of said switch, a wire 33 connects to one side of the switch 22 and from the opposite side of the latter switch, a wire 34 leads to the center blade 3| of the double switch 28, 29. From the other side of the switch 2l a wire 35 leads to one side of an electromagnetic device 36 which may be a magnet, a solenoid, or a motor. Fil-om the device 36 a wire 31 has connection with a minus wire 38 going back to the source of energy. From the other side of the switch 29, a wire 33 leads to a second electromagnetic device 40 similar to the one 36, described, and from the other side of said device 40 is the wire 3'1 which has connection with the main lead t It will be understood the shaft II carries a spur gear for rotation with the ratchet wheel I2 and said` gear meshes with and drives a gear 4I, as shown. Said gear 4I meshes with and drives a set of speed reduction gearing 42, the final gear of this set being shown at 43 and relatively large and slow moving and carrying on one face near its periphery a. perpendcularly disposed pin 44. The plate or support III adjacent said gear 43 carries a shaft 45 on which is turnably carried a cross shaped alternator control member 46. Each leg of this member has a substantially radial edge 41 and an angularly disposed opposite radial edge 48 which merges with an outer curved cam edge 49 with the other edge 4l to form a cam edge head portion.

Two of the arms, diametrically opposed, are of the same length and relatively short, whereas the other two arms, also diametrically opposed, are elongated by means of a round headed extension portion 5U. These four legs are angularly spaced apart ninety degrees. All four legs are engageable by the pin 44 on wheel 43, but only the long legs 50 can engage the part 3i of switch blade 30. This completes the detailed description of the parts.

In operation the member 20 in a push-pull marmer is operated to swing the lever arm I 6, thereby moving the ratchet wheel I2 one step by the pawl I7. As viewed in Figure 1 the wheel I2 turns clockwise and through the gearing 42 causes wheel 43 to turn counterclockwise. 'I'he parts are so proportioned that when the wheel I2 has turned one thousand steps a conjunctive closing of switches 22 and 25 by respective pins 23 and 44 occurs. At this time the cross member 46 has one arm 5I positioned to flex part 3I and hold switch 28 closed whereupon current ilows through the described circuits to cause energiza tion of the device 36 to operate a suitable auxiliary such as a check or coin ejector, not shown. By the time the wheel I2 has made another one thousand steps the pin 44 will have moved to ride along the curved head 49 of the arm extending over the wheel 43 and cause turning of the cross member 46 to clear the long arm 5l from the part 3| so that switch 23 closes and switch 2l opens, whereupon device 40 is energized for the purposes stated. The cross member 4I is turned clockwise and the sides of its arms are specially formed as tracks along which the pin 44 rides in an obvious manner to cause proper turning of the member 4I so that each of the arms thereof at the proper instant will have a position controlling the switches 2l and 29. The alternator mechanism thus works to causelenergization of the device 3l every two thousand steps of the wheel I2 and the device 4l also every two thousand steps, but they alternate so that for every one thousand steps one of the devices 3i or 4l is operative.

It can thus be seen that a simple and useful structure for the purposes stated has been provided.

It is the intention to cover herein all changes and modifications of the example shown for purposes of the disclosure, which do not in material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an alternator mechanism, a support, a ratchet wheel journaled thereon, means to operate said wheel step by step, reduction gearing operable by said wheel, an abutment on a face of the wheel, an abutment on a face of the nal gear of the gearing, two independent normally open switches disposed in a circuit and respectively disposed adjacent the wheel and final gear to be closed by the abutments thereon at certain angular positions of the wheel and gear, a pair of blade switches having respective circuit connections with electromagnetic devices, and a control member operable by the gear abutment for alternately closing the pair of switches and causing alternate operation of the electromagnetic devices.

2. In an alternator mechanism, a support, a ratchet wheel journaled thereon, means to operate said wheel step by step, reduction gearing operable by said wheel, an abutment on a face of the wheel, an abutment on a face of the final gear oi the gearing, two independent normally open switches disposed in a circuit and respectively disposed adjacent the wheel and iinal gear to be closed by the abutments thereon at certain angular positions of the wheel and gear, a pair of blade switches having respective circuit connections with electromagnetic devices, and a control member operable by the gear abutment for alternately closing the pair of switches and causing alternate operation of the electromagnetic devices, said control member being turnably carried on the support in a position to be engaged by the gear abutment and to engage a blade of the pair of blade switches.

3. In an alternator mechanism, a support, a ratchet wheel journaled thereon, means to operate said wheel step by step, reduction gearing operable by said wheel, an abutment on a face of the wheel, an abutment o n a face of the final gear of the gearing, two independent normally open switches disposed in a circuit and respectively disposed adjacent the wheel and final gear to be closed by the abutments thereon at certain angular positions of the wheel and gear, a pair 0f blade switches having respective circuit connections with electromagnetic devices, and a control member operable by the gear abutment for alternately closing the pair of switches and causing alternate operation of the electromagnetic devices, said control member being turnably carried on the support in a position to be engaged by the gear abutment and to engage a blade of ing of the double switch and at certain angular positions of the wheel and gearing simultaneous closing of the first switches whereby for every predetermined number of step ups of the ratchet wheel one device is energized and for the next same predetermined number of step ups of the wheel the other device is energized.

KENNETH C. ZEH. 

